How to Fix PostgreSQL Error: Password Authentication Failed

Quick Answer: PostgreSQL password authentication error indicates incorrect credentials. Verify username and password, check pg_hba.conf configuration, and ensure the user exists in the database.

What Causes This Error

Incorrect username or password
User account does not exist in database
pg_hba.conf authentication method misconfigured
User account disabled or expired
Connection string using wrong credentials
Database role permissions insufficient
Password encoding or special characters issue

Step-by-Step Fixes

Fix 1: Verify Credentials

Double-check username,Verify password is correct,Check for extra spaces or typos,Verify user exists: \du in psql,Try with different user if available

Fix 2: Reset PostgreSQL Password

Connect as postgres user,Run: ALTER USER username WITH PASSWORD "newpassword";,Update connection string,Test connection,Verify access

Fix 3: Check pg_hba.conf

Locate pg_hba.conf file,Review authentication method,Ensure md5 or scram-sha-256 is configured,Update if needed,Reload PostgreSQL: SELECT pg_reload_conf();

Fix 4: Create New Database User

Connect as superuser,Run: CREATE USER newuser WITH PASSWORD "password";,Grant privileges: GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON DATABASE dbname TO newuser;,Test connection with new user,Verify access

Fix 5: Check Connection String

Verify format: postgresql://user:password@host:port/database,Check for URL encoding of special characters,Verify host and port,Test connection,Update application config